1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to manifolds for directing fluids (including gases) through multiple ports and, more particularly, to certain structural configurations and construction of such manifolds.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In many industrial applications, it is necessary to direct fluids from a single source to multiple areas of application. For purposes of the description of the prior art, and for purposes of describing an illustrative embodiment of a manifold in accordance with the invention, the use of the term "fluids" shall include not only materials in their liquid state, but also materials in a gaseous state, such as air or the like. Correspondingly, it is also frequently required to direct fluids from multiple areas into a common or single area. For example, various types of machinery often require cooling water to be directed from a central reservoir to multiple areas of the application, and further require a return of the water after it has flowed through or around various machinery components to be cooled.
Still further, it is common in various industries, such as the automotive manufacturing industry, to utilize relatively large machinery having a plurality of "work stations." For example, in the automotive manufacturing industry, it is relatively common to employ welding machinery comprising a number of individual welding work stations. At each of these work stations, one or more outlets of compressed air or other gases may be required, commonly known as air cylinders. For purposes of providing the gases to the work stations and cylinders, the machinery may include a single source (or a number of sources fewer than the number of cylinders) of the compressed air or other gases for application to the work stations. In these types of arrangements, it is known to employ manifolds for directing the compressed air or other gases from the main sources through multiple ports in the manifolds. In turn, the multiple ports are typically connected to conduits for directing the compressed air or other gases to the individual work stations and cylinders.
Known manifolds are frequently constructed of hollow cylindrical pipe having a plurality of tapped apertures extending through the wall of the pipe. One end of the pipe may be capped, while the other end of the pipe is adapted to engage a fitting for securing the manifold to a fluid source. Each of the apertures on the cylindrical portion of the manifold provides a port to receive a conventional fitting which, in turn, is connectable to a conduit. Each port can either be plugged or provided with a fitting for connecting to the conduit, depending upon the number of conduits needed.
Although manifolds having structural configurations and constructions in accordance with the foregoing description have been utilized in a number of industrial applications for a substantial period of time, several structural and functional disadvantages exist with respect to these types of manifolds. For example, with the use of relatively conventional and cylindrical pipe, the thickness of the pipe wall is often insufficient at the areas surrounding the ports to maintain requisite structural strength and "fluid-tight" or "gas-tight" joints with the conduit fittings. In addition, the known manifolds constructed of hollow cylindrical pipe typically comprise steel materials. Such steel pipe is often subject to substantial corrosion, which may ultimately weaken the manifold, particularly if the manifold is subjected to relatively high fluidic pressures.
Other types of manifolds which provide some technical advantages over cylindrical pipe manifolds are also known and commercially available. For example, certain types of manifolds manufactured by Hydro-Craft, Inc., are constructed of light weight and corrosion-resistant plastic or nylon materials. These manifolds have "built-up" ports extending from the cylindrical portions of the manifolds. Although these manifolds provide certain structural and functional advantages over the conventional cylindrical pipe manifolds constructed of steel, the plastic or nylon manifolds can present problems with respect to utilization with high-pressure fluids. In addition, such manifolds also tend to be relatively expensive. Further, if requisite structural strength is to be maintained, the sizes of these manifolds are somewhat limited. Correspondingly, the number of usable ports per manifold is also limited.
Other known manifolds are constructed of one-piece aluminum in prismatoid configurations, with a closed end and central bore extending longitudinally through the manifold, the end opposite the closed end being machined in a manner to accommodate attachment to the source. Multiple taps are provided through the wall extending from external flat or planar surfaces into the central bore. The known shapes for such manifolds are either square in cross section or hexagonal in cross section. These manifolds can withstand relatively high pressure and high flow volume of gases or fluids, but due to the one-piece method of forming are expensive to use in a wide variety of applications.
It is often desirable to mount manifolds in multiple configurations where, for example, one may be provided as a source of supply to the multiple conduits, and another may be provided as a source of return to the source. For this purpose, Hydro-Craft, Inc. manufactures clamps which are adapted to mount manifolds side by side. Existing manifolds, however, are not readily adapted to mount in such clamps without mounting additional fittings to the manifolds.
Standard industrial fittings to be used in the ports of manifolds are commercially available and used in essentially three configurations: straight (0.degree.), 45.degree. and 90.degree. fittings. It is desirable to have manifolds that are capable of taking full advantage of these standard industrial fittings to keep a multiplicity of conduit lines extending from the manifold in an orderly configuration.
For purposes of a number of industrial applications, manufacturers of known and commercially available manifolds will often provide the manifolds to customers with a number of predrilled ports. Manifold manufacturers typically have relatively sophisticated and accurate equipment for drilling these ports. Accordingly, ports drilled by manufacturers, with relatively small tolerances, will often have a relatively lesser probability of leaks, than will ports drilled on-site of the manifold utilization. However, manifold users will often not know, at the time of manifold purchase, exactly how many ports will be necessary for their manifold applications. Further, as manifold user machinery is enhanced or otherwise modified, additional manifold ports may be required. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide the capability to manifold users of permitting, with relatively high accuracy, the drilling of additional taps without requiring dismantling of the manifold itself, or otherwise removing the manifold from associated machinery.